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Killdeer Chick
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I wasn’t the only kid to happen upon a killdeer, unknowingly near her nest, eggs, or recently hatched chicks, and witnessed the “wounded” or “lame” appearing mother hopelessly limping, drawing me away. I even recall trying to catch that bird, or at least following the lead, not realizing I was reacting in the exact way that killdeer intended.
I don’t remember whether my intent was to help the seemingly injured mother, or if I was just exercising my child-like curiosity and wondering if I could catch the seemingly weak mother killdeer. Now, I ponder what I would’ve done had I caught it?
Like many others, I was deked into thinking the mother killdeer was injured or sick. That’s the defense ploy these birds use when a kid, cat or other predator gets too close to a nest or young birds.
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Killdeer commonly fake injury to lure away prey
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This innate response of the mother to protect her young worked then, and still does now, and serves as a good reminder of how nature functions quite well without man’s intervention; maybe not to our personal expectations of all baby animals living well – never dying or suffering – but there’s no question wild animals are better off in the wild.
What would’ve I done had I caught a truly injured killdeer? How would I feed it and how would I keep it alive? Odds are it would’ve died during or soon after I captured it. These are the same questions many people fail to consider when they come across what may appear to be an injured or orphaned fawn deer, baby raccoon, or flightless young bird.
In most cases, a young deer by itself is most likely being watched from a distance by its mother. The mother will frequently return to nurse the fawn, but stays away so as not to draw attention from other predators. In this manner the young deer’s chances of survival are best in the wild.
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Killdeer commonly fake injury to lure away prey
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Even if the fawn actually is orphaned or injured, its best odds for survival are in the wild, not in captivity. Think of the shock to a young deer of being taken out of the grass and trees and relocated into a garage, shed or any unnatural area.
Indeed, many a good-natured helping hand from a passerby have actually caused the deaths of baby rabbits and raccoons, young deer, and recently hatched ducks or goslings.
Even if, under a best case scenario, the animal survives or recovers from injury, it has missed valuable lessons in the wild and when the wild critter becomes too big for home confinement, it may not be able to fend for itself if it’s released back into the wild.
The other issue is to understand that wild animals may not want your help. In addition, potential exists for possible disease transmission, or even an attack by a protective mother or a struggle from the animal resisting your help. And could you blame the animal?
It’s difficult to find many benefits for a wild animal being take into captivity, which is why it’s discouraged and illegal. As you spend more time outdoors this summer and beyond, if you happen across an animal that appears injured or orphaned, put aside your human emotion and give thought to what is actually best for the animal.
My thoughts shift back to the killdeer and its efforts to steer people and predators away from its nest or young. If I had caught it and took it home for awhile, in an innocent effort to help, its chicks would most certainly have died.
Every situation is different, but almost always the best course is to leave the wildlife in the wild where it belongs.
Leier is a biologist with the Game and Fish Department. He can be reached by email:
dleier@nd.gov
Photo credits to the ND Game and Fish Department
